


Battle Scars

by kiefercarlos



Series: Many a Wizard One-Shot [8]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, No Dialogue, Post-Battle of Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-16
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2019-03-05 16:20:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13391613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiefercarlos/pseuds/kiefercarlos
Summary: After the war, everyone has a permanent reminder of what was lost and a what was left behind.





	Battle Scars

For some people, these marks are a badge of honour, something for them to show off and be proud of. It says look at this, look what I've done, isn't it great. 

For others it's something that they need to hide from. They have nothing to be proud of. It's the memory that keeps them up at night. It's a stark reminder of the death around them and what was lost.

Every scar has a story, but every scar is a tally, of those who've died. For ever scar that shows a life survived, there's also a vivid memory of someone who didn't make it out alive.

As much as people should have been wearing their scars like a badge of honour, proof that they came out the other side, some of the, gentler souls, couldn't do that. They couldn't look at those marks and not think of the people who should still be standing with them.

While some are boasting the others are hiding, staying away from all the fame and spotlight, avoiding the glory hunters who only want to see those marks of survival. Those marks only fill them with sadness and despair. They didn't deserve to survive this war any more than everyone else, and those that lost their lives had just as much right to live as anyone.

There was somewhere that these quiet souls went to hide and reflect.  
The small memorial garden was set up during the rebuilding process. It was built around a large plinth which held all the names of those who had lost their lives in the battle.

The moving feature of the garden, wasn't the plinth, it was the large protected pond that ran the length of the garden. It wasn't special because of how pretty it was. No, it was special because when the plinth was erected, the family and friends of those who had died, released a small new-born fish into the pond, so for every life that had been lost, a new one was released, to fill the world just a little bit.

The pond was where you would usually find Harry, settled after a long day, sometimes surrounded by his friends. They took every death to heart, some more than others and sitting in front of the pond watching the new lives, didn't make it any better, but it did make the pain ease just slightly. During the night, the fish would glow and light the area like candles. Giving the perfect nightlight to those of them who couldn't sleep and would wander down to watch the animals.

More people were found at the pond at night, than were found during the day, because you keep the demons away when you're awake, but they come for you in the dark.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. 
> 
> This is a really old piece, so apologies for any errors, I'm still without a Beta.


End file.
